Giant Devil's Flower Mantis

Appearance

"Idolomantis diabolica" is a large mantis of the family Empusidae. Females grow to be about 13 cm in length and males to about 10 cm. It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its threat display is magnificently colored, with red, white, blue, purple, and black.The basic anatomical structure of "I. diabolica" is similar to most species of the order Mantodea, but the morphology of each species varies according to its native habitat, and this species is modified somewhat to enhance its floral mimicry.

Behavior

When confronted by a predator, "I. diabolica" initiates a deimatic display in an attempt "to scare off or momentarily distract a predator". Its front legs, specifically the femora, are raised to expose the conspicuous patterns depicted on the bottom of the thorax and abdomen. Similarly, the wings display a combination of vibrant colours. Observational analysis of "I. diabolica" in captive settings revealed an additional tactic of shifting its wings left to right to startle and confuse predators.In the presence of prey, "I. diabolica", impersonating a flower, remains motionless. Its objective is to seduce the insect into its striking zone. In this zone, "Idolomantis diabolica" uses the tibiae of its legs to grasp and maintain a strong grip on the prey. The mandibles are then "wielded as formidable weapons" to decapitate and devour the prey. The dietary preference of "I. diabolica" is exclusively airborne insects, specifically flies, moths, butterflies and beetles.